One great feature Windows 7 was possibility to install them without needing a key. Instead of entering 25-digit key, you could just select skip and Windows would give you 30 days after install to setup everything before requiring valid product key.

I found this really useful during setup of a new machine when I would have multiple reinstalls while trying out various drivers and performing their troubleshooting. Only once I was perfectly satisfied with machine, I would activate it.

More than once I also used this feature to reproduce a bug in different OS language (e.g. German). Mind you, I did have keys for that particular version (MSDN subscription is a great thing) but I was regularly too lazy to look key up for a version that would essentially get installed and deleted within a day.

Thus I was really pissed off when I found that feature was missing in Windows 8. But I was wrong. Feature is still present in setup. Only now it requires some preparation first.

Very first step is to copy all files from Windows DVD. Assuming that you have your DVD at letter W: and that you want staging directory at C:\Windows81, this would be:

>ROBOCOPY W:\ C:\Windows81 /MIR…

Once copy operation has completed, we need to create ei.cfg in C:\Windows81\sources directory. In my case I wanted to specify Professional edition expecting retail key so I created file with following content:

[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0

Only thing missing is creating new ISO file that we can burn on DVD. While this is not strictly necessary if you are creating bootable USB, I find having pre-prepared image an useful step. If nothing else, it is easier to backup a single ISO file than over a writable USB.

For bootable image creation we need Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (or Windows ADK) for desired Windows version. Since I wanted to adjust Windows 8.1, I downloaded Windows ADK for Windows 8.1 but Windows 8 ADK is also freely available. Only thing that you really need to install for this guide are Deployment Tools. All other stuff you can uncheck.

This will create bootable Windows81.iso image in a root directory of your second drive. If you have a single drive, place file into a subdirectory. Otherwise file will be written in Virtual store (usually at %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\VirtualStore).

Finally we have image that will not ask you for key during install and it will allow you to skip key entry for 30 days. Just burn it to CD or make bootable USB and you are ready to go.

PS: This also means that you can use your Windows 8 key to activate Windows 8.1 after installation is done. While Windows 8 key won’t work during installation, it will work nicely once everything is fully installed.

PPS: If you omit EditionID from ei.cfg, you will get an option to select edition that you would like (Professional or Core).

PPPS: No, this is not a hack. Microsoft has it all documented (both ei.cfg and oscdimg.exe).

Simply use default windows 8.1 pro generic keys XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX or if it did not work find other generic keys from google or forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/47480-windows-8-1-generic-keys

Sorry Josip medved but your method to skip button was not simple. I Tried your method but fail to do so. After that i found pirated keys method that works fine. After installation just use other pirated keys from net and activate through skype.

I think he means using those “generic” Windows 8.1 keys to install, then after installation, you can change it to your own 8.0 key then activate it. Unless I’m not aware whether this works or not.

Not that I condone such action Medved, but using some random key just to bypass the mandatory key step is also not so bad when you’re in a pinch and don’t have that bootable USB you carefully and lovingly prepared for such scenario.

Thanks for the procedure and invaluable contribution Medved, I gonna try in the next days!

Thank you very much! It worked great for me! I now love to have that “trial” period in Windows 8 I had with Windows 7 again WITHOUT BEING FORCED to enter my product key UPON install!

I am wondering if and when Windows 8.2 comes out (IF that is what Microsoft does unless it goes directly to Windows 9 next time around — I am hearing rumors Windows 8.2 will be coming out mid-2014.) if the rest of the Windows 8 ‘series’ (Best word to use. We cannot call them Windows “service packs” anymore since Windows 7.) that this same technique or process you have outlined here along with Paul Thurrott’s webpage you give will also work with them too (as long as Microsoft is willing to give us the download for that particular Windows 8 series)? I am thinking it will too.

after realizing that your command line referred to an x86 frame rather than my 64 bit i redirected my pathway to amd section and that took care of everything. just got done installing, cd key, and updating without a hitch. nice work dude. thanks for the info.

I need your help im running windows 7 home primium and i want to updgrade to windows 8.1 .I have downloaded windows 8.1 setup , windows setupbox and also windows 7 usb dvd bootable tool .Here is my promblem when i run windows 8.1 setup and input my product key XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX which i obtained at v-pistolero blog and it checks out correct after clicking next windows will tell me to wait and then it says windows 8.1 is not available for online purchase in your country / religion. I dont now what to do guyz please help i realy need windows 8.1. Please

I tried both leaving the “[EditionID]” blank, and removing it entirely. The ISO/DVD still installs Windows 8.1 Professional automatically…

Also, I thought I double checked, but on the x86 ISO i still saved the ef.cfg as ef.cfg.txt the first round, so make sure you save it as “All Files” in notepad lmao!

For the people having problems, if your running the 32 bit version of windows, don’t forget to change the commands/directories!
“C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\Oscdimg””
would be:
“C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\Oscdimg””

…Even though I couldn’t make a multi-edition DVD, the “Skip” key DID work…Thank You!

What if my windows 8 pro key is an upgrade. Will the install allow the option to “upgrade” if it detects windows, and will that activate me properly so I don’t have to call Microsoft to activate by phone?

Upgrading is fine if you have working Windows 8 system and it is not too “dirty”. Call me traditionalist but I treat every new Windows version as an opportunity to clean the machine and start from scratch.

PS: Assuming that you have a valid Windows 8 key, this procedure is also free and legal.

Tried playing around with it by myself… It seems that you can write anything, seemed to work with “Cock” aswell :D ? What does this do??

I would also like to add that if you’re using a USB key to install from, you dont need all your steps. Just simply put the iso on the USB-key with “Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool”, and then create the ei.cfg file and put it in the sources folder on the created USB-key.

Well, when you download the W8.1 via the SuperSite method it will ask you in the which way will you install. And one of the ways is “Install by creating a media”, which then offers you to make a bootable USB stick. So close the window, do the Josip Medved thing – create the proper “ei.cfg”. When the ei.cfg is in place, find a shortcut “Install Windows” on your desktop and then select “Install by creating a media” and then USB Flash drive (or ISO if you need one).

What Scott is trying to ask is, if I need a windows 8.1 64-bit ISO do I need to change the directory to amd64 instead of x86:
Do I need to replace
CD “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\x86\Oscdimg”
With
CD “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\amd64\Oscdimg”
if I need a 64 bit installer?

Thanks a lot! This is going to help me perform a Windows 8.1 100% clean install without having to install “8.0” first. I’d just like to point out that it’s very easy to generate and edit an ISO if you have proper software. In my case, I have UltraISO (but there are many other similar programs), which can extract the image from a CD or DVD, bootable part and all, and allows me to edit it at will and save it back. It can also extract the bootable binaries from a boot disk and save them for future use. Much better, faster and easier than using OSCDIMG. Such programs are paid, but not expensive, and well worth every cent – they are extremely useful.

From the ISO, a USB stick can be easily generated, if one prefers so (although in my experience, the difference in the lengthy file copy stage is not that great, compared to the DVD), with the Windows 7 USB-DVD Tool, which can still be downloaded from Microsoft and several file repositories. In spite of the “Windows 7″ name, it works with all Windows versions from XP to 8.1.